192 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



September, 1909 



flowering at the same time. For in- 

 stance, in one section we may have heli- 

 anthus forming a white sheet of flowers 

 against the darker shade of shrub and 

 tree foliage and before it agreeably con- 

 trasted the yellow of the golden glow. 

 In the next section, we may have naught 

 but the yellow and blue of the iris at the 

 stream edges or crocuses coming up 

 through the grass, while farther on we 

 may be attracted by other wholesome 

 irregular sheets of red contrasted with 

 the white. And it is intended that this 

 same scheme in variety shall be extended 

 also to all the open spaces in the ravhie 

 and smaller lawn openings throughout 

 the park, and that each section shall not 

 be limited to one period of bloom, bul 

 rather that it be sufficiently continued to 

 make the whole a veritable garden spot 

 from the beginning to the end of the sea- 

 son and especially when the features on 

 the larger lawn spaces are not the para- 

 mount attraction. The perennials used 

 should be those requiring little attention 

 after being once established and they 

 should be of varieties generally wild in 

 nature. 



"The planting at the main entrance 

 and at the pavilion is mostly evergreen in 

 irregular formality, the dark greens con- 

 trasting strikingly with the gray of the 

 architectural features and the bronze 

 shades of the shrubs indicated. This 

 planting must be done with the utmost 

 care and the exercise of taste in the spac- 

 ing of the plants, for the irregular formal 

 grouping of evergreens is most effectual 

 when properly executed. The arbor 

 vitaea are specified as wild plants to be 

 collected in the nearby woods and as far 

 as possible low-branched, well-developed 

 plants should be sought. 



THE EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE 



"The educational values of the plants 

 are so many and so obvious that I will 

 only mention a few of the more striking 

 ones that appeal to me as relating to 

 Barrie. 



"Never in the history of this continent 

 has so much been heard of the conserva- 

 tion of natural resources as now. We 

 read daily the reports of tragic wastes 

 that have been accomplished in the reck- 

 less destruction of trees and the resultant 

 exorbitant prices of lumber, resultant ex- 

 pense with which municipalities have been 

 penalized in getting water supplies, and 

 the resultant exhaustion of permanent 

 natural power for industry, the resultant 

 amount of arid land and resultant impair- 

 ment of natural transportation facilities, 

 and the losses by floods and freshets. The 

 facts are appalling and on their presenta- 

 tion there is a lack of public response 

 which only bespeaks an inability to appre- 

 ciate the truth. 



"The great mass of this continental 

 people never has had an appreciation of 

 the value of natural growth with which 



One of our Oldest Gardens 



The views of the Perth garden which 

 appear on this page and the next, take 

 one back to the stirring times of 1812. The 

 Matheson garden is but one of a number 

 that might be mentioned in connection 

 with the taste, skill and expenditure that 

 have combined to make the town of Perth 

 a reputable centre in things pertaining to 

 advanced gardening. After the war of 

 1 81 2, families of means came together to 

 make Perth their home. The home in- 

 cluded a garden. The garden included 

 the hedge and the sun dial. It was a 

 larger matter in those days to send to 

 Philadelphia for seeds, plants and seeds 

 than it is to-day. But wherever the best 

 was to be had Perth sent for it, and set 

 it forth to bloom and beautify. 



the lands have been covered, and to-day 

 it is regrettable that there is not a keener 

 awakening, but it is not surprising when 

 one stops to think how little recognition 

 the practical study of the subject has been 

 given by the public authorities. I believe 

 that one of the greatest agencies for pre- 

 paring the public mind for a sympathetic 

 consideration of the subject is permitting 

 the public to become more intimate with 

 the subject matter, to know trees and 

 natural growth, see the limitations and 

 the time that nature requires to effect a 

 worthy growth, and how easily the pro- 

 cess is impaired by the ruthless hand of 

 man. And there is no greater agency 

 through which to bring these things to 

 the sympathetic attention of the great 

 body of the people in our cities and towns 

 who wield so much 

 power in legislation 

 than in having rich 

 masses of this natural 

 growth as part of their 

 daily environment, hav- 

 ing it in their own en- 

 trustment and on their 

 own public lands where 

 all own, see and know 

 the different varieties 

 being reserved, and 

 for which in this way 

 they may develop an 

 inherent sympathy and 

 respect. 



"There is also the 

 scientific phase in the 

 aid and encouragement 

 to botanical research as 

 a matter of local en- 

 lightment and contri- 

 bution to the complete 

 world records. An- 

 other educational val- 

 ue is in the demonstra- 

 tion of the individual, 

 collective and relative 

 uses of a considerable 

 number of hardy varie- 

 ties of trees and shrubs 

 which are mostly native 

 and can be adapted to 

 use on home grounds, a 

 demonstration which satisfies a prospec- 

 tive planter in selecting what he wants 

 and in being sure of what he orders and 

 that he gets what he does order. In this 

 regard I wish to bring to your attention 

 the advisability of having attached to 

 each tree and shrub group an easily seen 

 label bearing the botanical and common 

 name of variety and the source of its 

 nativity. This should prove a great stim- 

 ulus to the private ornamentation of home 

 grounds and the consequent beautification 

 of the town. Moreover, an acquaintance 

 with the native varieties will make them 



recognizable in woodlands whence they 



can be selected with little or no expense. Send garden photos for publication. 



One of the OMett Gardens in Canada 



Tlic home of Miss Matheson, Perth, Ont. 



There is an old lilac in Miss Matheson 's 

 garden that people climb to the roofs of 

 surrounding buildings to get .a. view of 

 in spring. It is a marvel of profusion 

 and beauty. A Salem grape is another 

 wonder in the garden. The perennials 

 are many. 



The H'orticultural Society of Perth is 

 one of the most active in Ontario, and 

 probably no other county capital in the 

 province of Ontario will surpass Perth in 

 the cleanness of her streets, the attract- 

 iveness of her gardens, and the culture 

 of her best citizens. 



